Raintrough clip for a recreational vehicle awning

Abstract

A raintrough support clip includes a generally cylindrical main body made from an elastically resilient material, and having a circumferential gap to facilitate mounting around an awning reel having a flexible valance sheet extending downward from the outer edge of the awning reel. The raintrough support clip also has an outrigger member extending outwardly from a lower region of the main body, with an upturned portion forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger and the main body. When a suitable number of the raintrough support clips are mounted along the length of the awning reel, the valance sheet may be readily deformed to form a rainwater drainage trough for receiving runoff from the awning. The drainage trough thus formed will carry runoff to one or both ends of the awning reel, thereby preventing the runoff from falling over the awning reel and forming a runoff curtain therebelow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A support clip comprising:
 (a) a generally cylindrical and elastically deformable main body having a longitudinal centerline, a length parallel to said centerline, a circumference, and a circumferential gap extending between an upper longitudinal edge and a lower longitudinal edge, the circumferential gap opening upward, wherein an arcuate length of said circumferential gap is less half of said circumference; and 
 (b) an outrigger member cantilevering outward from a lower region of the main body, said outrigger member having a width parallel to the said centerline and an upturned portion and forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger member and the main body, said width of the outrigger member is less the length of the main body, said outrigger member being oriented relative to the main body such that the U-shaped space formed by the outrigger member is contiguous with the circumferential gap in the main body. 
 
     
     
       2. The support clip of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger member incorporates a curvilinear portion. 
     
     
       3. The support clip of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger member is of rectilinear configuration. 
     
     
       4. The support clip of  claim 1  wherein the support clip is made from an elastically-resilient plastic material. 
     
     
       5. A recreation vehicle an awning assembly having comprising:
 (a) a cylindrical awning reel with an awning sheet anchored to the awning reel along a longitudinal awning connection line; 
 (b) a flexible valance sheet extending downward from the outer edge of the awning reel; 
 (d) a plurality of raintrough support clips mounted to the awning reel at selected spacings, each said raintrough support clip comprising:
 c.1 a generally cylindrical and elastically deformable main body having a longitudinal centerline, a length parallel to said centerline, a circumference, and a circumferential gap extending between an upper longitudinal edge and a lower longitudinal edge, the circumferential gap opening upward, wherein an arcuate length of said circumferential gap is less half of said circumference; and 
 c.2 an outrigger member cantilevering outward from a lower region of the main body, said outrigger member having a width parallel to the said centerline and an upturned portion and forming a generally U-shaped space between the outrigger member and the main body, said width of the outrigger member is less than the length of the main body, said outrigger member being oriented relative to the main body such that the U-shaped space formed by the outrigger member is contiguous with the circumferential gap in the main body; 
 
 
       wherein:
 (d) the raintrough support clips are mounted to the awning reel such that that the upper longitudinal edge of the main body of each raintrough support clip is disposed under the awning sheet adjacent to the awning connection line; and 
 (e) the valance sheet is deformed into the U-shaped spaces of the outrigger members of the raintrough support clips, to form a raintrough adjacent to the awning reel such that rainwater falling upon the awning sheet will flow into said raintrough. 
 
     
     
       6. The awning assembly of  claim 5  wherein the outrigger member incorporates a curvilinear portion. 
     
     
       7. The awning assembly of  claim 5  wherein the outrigger member is of rectilinear configuration. 
     
     
       8. The awning assembly of  claim 5  wherein the raintrough support clip is made from an elastically-resilient plastic material.